Touchdown Club honors record number of football players at final banquet

DEPTFORD TWP. – Most coaches don't like talking about themselves, and that's especially true when receiving awards like the Touchdown Club of Southern New Jersey's Coach of the Year.

Fucetola

Frank Fucetola proved no exception, acknowledging everyone's role but his own in the Williamstown High School football team's ascension to the pinnacle of South Jersey football with a 12-0 season and Group V championship in 2012. But it was just the latest reminder of the historic year the Braves had, and he still didn't see it coming.

“(West Deptford head coach) Clyde (Folsom), Penns Grove (head coach Kemp Carr), (Kingsway head coach) Tony (Barchuk) had a great year,” said Fucetola, who was honored as coach of the year by the Brooks-Irvine Memorial Football Club Monday. “It's not about that (award) for me, it's about what the kids did Friday night (winning the championship).

“This is nice and everything, but I'm more worried about the kids, getting them into college, what they do on the field and off the field. I love to see them play football, that's all.”

He thanked his extensive coaching staff as well as his athletic director, principal, superintendent and wife who also were in attendance. But he was nonetheless gregarious at the microphone, even crediting Triton coach Pete Goetz with being ready for an HBO comedy special following his coaching career after Goetz introduced his former player Chris Howley as a College Player of the Year.

Much more in shock was Woodbury head coach Zack Valentine, named the TD Club's Person of the Year. The non-annual award last given in 2010 was named this year after long-time TD Club president John Vogeding, who passed away this summer. His son Mark Vogeding presented Valentine with the award and left Zack at a loss for words at the podium.

“His son just said, 'Dad would want you to have this award,'” Valentine said. “Words like that are priceless. I loved (his wife Betty, who attended every meeting and passed away in August) to death. Every time I saw her I walked up to her and gave her a kiss. They were very good people.

“John was a great man. (This) speaks volumes to me of what the Touchdown Club feels about the person they give this award to. I try to exemplify what a parent should be to a child, what a coach should be to a player. It's just a wonderful honor, I'm shocked.”

The TD Club selected a record number of players for year-end honors, tabbing eight Linemen and Backs of the Year. Among those in the backfield are South Jersey rushing leader Corey Clement of Glassboro (2,323 yards) as well as passing leader Tom Flacco of Eastern (2,957 yards) and quarterback Dante Pinckney of Haddon Heights (1,769 passing yards).

Also recognized were five backs who played for South Jersey titles last weekend – John Chamberlin of Williamstown (Group V champion), Ray Lawry of Kingsway (Group IV finalist), Gerald Owens of West Deptford (Group II champion), Nick Elmer of Penns Grove (Group I champion) and Anthony Averett of Woodbury (Group I finalist).

The Group V champion Braves nabbed two of the awards for linemen with offensive tackle Jim Deschler and guard/linebacker Derek Lauria. Penns Grove's Sam Harvey was the other champion lineman to be recognized.

Also on the list of linemen honorees were D.J. Brown of Washington Township, Paulsboro's Tre' Tarpley, Gabe Hemighaus of Cumberland, Isaiah Ingram of Pennsauken and Haddon Heights' Alex Thompson.

Two Salem County standouts were recognized as Receivers of the Year. Pennsville's 5-foot-6 junior Drew Burdsall set the South Jersey record for receptions this season with 93 for 1,171 yards, and Ja'Brail Murray of Penns Grove caught 30 passes for 862 yards and a mind-boggling 17 touchdowns to average nearly 29 yards per catch.

Paulsboro four-year starter Mike Maccarone was chosen the John Aveni Special Teams Player of the Year. Anthony Parsons of Deptford rated a perfect score during the season and was given the Best Speech Award, and Bishop Eustace's Dan Metrick was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Gloucester was voted the Dutch Mauk Sportsmanship Award by the officials.

Paulsboro grad Gerald Hodges, linebacker at Penn State, and Rutgers defensive back Logan Ryan (Eastern) were among those honored as College Players of the Year. Also recognized were Delaware defensive back Tim Breaker (Glassboro), offensive lineman Howley of Maine and offensive lineman Gerry Pacitti of Widener (West Deptford). Steve Williams (Haddon Township) earned Rowan Player of the Year honors.